J&B Aviation

The Commercial Aviation Industry – A Challenging Environment

The commercial aviation industry has been going through a tremendous transformation. Deregulation of the industry and the introduction of low cost carriers have made air travel cheaper for the consumer, but hyper-competitive for those in the airlines business.

As if this was not enough of a challenge, oil prices shot up from US$25 per barrel in 2003, to hitting a record US$70 in 2005. Many experts believe that with the global expansion in China, and other parts of the world, the price of commodities such as oil will never go back to the levels that we once saw, even just a few years ago.

So what is the good news? The good news is that with cheaper travel and the increase of global business, those in the industry predict that the revenue passenger miles will increase 4-6 per cent per year. This means that even though there is likely to be more consolidation in the industry, and some airlines may come and go, the commercial aviation industry will survive.

Reducing Operating Costs

So how can airlines and ground handlers reduce their expenses? One way is to utilise 400Hz ground power and preconditioned air equipment, and using cables and air ducts that are reliable. By using ground support equipment instead of the auxiliary power unit (APU) of a plane, an airline can reduce the expense of powering on-board systems and cooling the interior by 90 per cent. The payback on this investment for the airlines is typically one year, or less.

One area of ground support equipment that is often overlooked is the ancillary products that get the 400Hz power and preconditioned air to the plane. Poor quality cables and air ducts can result in sub optimal ground power and air systems. This can reduce the cost savings that an airline or ground handler realises because of a number of reasons. One is that if these systems are not providing power and air reliably, ground handling crews and pilots may justifiably refuse to use the equipment. Another is that poor quality cables and air ducts can create issues that may slow the ground handling crews down, and may also create maintenance problems that translate into more cost.

400Hz Cables – What Are The Important Features?

Providing 400Hz power to the aircraft that meets the military standard 704F and is properly regulated, is important to insure that the on-board equipment operates while it is on the ground. Investing a significant amount in the ground power equipment and then using a low quality cable does not make a lot of sense, especially if it will cost more in the long run.

The J&B Aviation Services’ single jacketed cable is designed to provide quality power to the plane, as well as savings in time and money spent on ground handling services. Some of the key features of this product include:

• It reduces phase imbalances by as much as 97 per cent,
• It reduces voltage drop by as much as 35 per cent.
• Patented replaceable contact section (nose) that allows for replacement in the field in just three to five minutes. No need to take the cable out of service and spending time and money to replace the whole connector.
• Patented Thermgard feature for protection that shuts down the 400Hz power going to the aircraft if it senses overheating or arcing of the plug.
• Moulded tapered strain relief at connector back to absorb the “whip-saw” action commonly used when inserting and removing the connector from the aircraft. Tests have shown that this helps to prevent the fraying and breaking of the cable strands, and can extend the life of the cable by as much as 10 times.
• The only 400Hz single jacketed cable on the market that is ETL listed.
• Refurbishment of a single jacketed cable is less than the cost of a new lower quality banded cable. Comes with a new manufacturer warranty.

As you can see, when it comes to 400Hz cables there are a lot of features that differentiate a high quality cable from a “cheap” cable. For the customers that are investing thousands of dollars in ground power equipment and multi-million dollars in aircraft, J&B Aviation Services provides the cable that will deliver quality power and protection.

Air Ducts – Not All Are Created Equal

Preconditioned air ducts can mean the difference between cooling an aircraft within minutes, and not cooling it at all. Low quality air ducts that wear and fall apart quickly can be the culprit of significant air loss going from the preconditioned air equipment to the aircraft. Even more serious of a problem is the material from a poorly made air duct being blown into the aircraft resulting in time and money to rectify this problem.

J&B Aviation Services provides an air duct that is manufactured from only the highest quality components. These are some of the key features of their product:

• Outside and inside materials that meets or exceeds the abrasion, fire, water and fungus resistant requirements of the Department of Defence. This provides the insurance that the air duct will be safe to use, have long wear life and will not transmit any unwanted bacteria into the aircraft.
• Premium reflective foil insulation made of durable polyethylene bubble film and a reflective aluminium foil layer to insulate the inside of the air duct from the outside temperatures. A minimum R-value of 8.0. Other manufacturers may use insulation that may have an R-value of less than 2.0, and materials that are not waterproof.

Knowing that the air duct has been tested and meets the Department of Defence requirements assures a user that they are getting a quality product that will withstand the harsh ramp environment.

Make the Right Connection

Connecting the right ancillary products to the ground support equipment is just as important as specifying the correct equipment. J&B Aviation Services’ quality 400Hz cables and preconditioned air ducts will insure that the 400Hz ground power and preconditioned air systems are providing the highest value to the user.

Contact Details
	T: +1 707 421 9175
	F: +1 707 421 0266
	E: info@air-a-plane.net
	W: www.air-a-plane.net